Autosleigh.



G. W. DENNIS.

AUTOSLEIGH. APPLIGATIUN FILED APR. 27, 1508.

905,058. Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1' Q/Vi In use:

CHARLES WHITNEY DENNIS, OF AUGUSTA, MAINE.

AUTOSLEIGH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

Application filed April 27. 1908. Serial No. 429,558.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, CHARLES \Ynrrunr 1)!)NKIS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, rcsiding at Augusta, in the county of Keane lain new and usefulImprovements in Autosleighs, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to companying drawings.

My present invention relates to an improved autosleigh, and has specialreference to a sleigh adapted to be propelled by any fori'n of power,such as explosive engines, steam or electricity, the main featureresiding in the fact of a peculiarly constructed propelling machinewhich will not allow the machine to sink deeply into the snow, all ofwhich will presently appear.

To clearly illustrate my invention, attention is invited to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of thecomlete antosleigh. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the steering or forwardrunners. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of one portion of thesteering mechanism. Fig. 4 is a cross section thereof. F ig. 5 is a topplan view of the propelling truck and runners, the body being removed.Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail plan view of the steel propelling runner.Fig. 7 is an elevation of one of the propelling axles and drums, andFig. 8 IS a cross section on line ww of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings :--The numeral 1 designates the platform theforward power carrying casing 2, an the rear body The forward part ofthe platform is pivotally connected at 4, to the steering runner frame5, which carries the two runners 6, which, are secured to ether by meansof the braces 7 In or er to cushionly support the power casing, I employthe two elli tical springs 8. n order to steer or turn t e. runners 6, Iemploy the rod 8', which is provided with the angularly circular wormsor segments 10,

set senn which are always in engagement with the long pinion or cog 11.,carried upon the lower end of the steering post 12, whose wheel 13,gives full control to the steering of the autosleigh.

The rear body 3, is supported by means of the springs 14, u on thetruck-frame 15 which consists of the upper and lower metal plates 16,supported and braced apart by means of the angle-irons 17, to form therethe acor support, for

l l l l ceptaclcs at the ends for the journal boxes 1H. m \\'llll'll aremounted the front and rear axles l9 and 20. respectively. (arried uponeach axle is a pair of pulleys or drums 21. t i bee and btate of Maine,have invented cerl l l steering true t .ed' below the front of saidplatform,

cuch of which consists of the rims 22, and the series of flat portions23, which provide the angles 2-1. Mounted upon these drums, that ispairing, the right forward drum with the right rear drum, and the leftforward drum and left rear drum. is what I term the movable runners ortires 25. one to each pair. 'lhese runners or tires are made in sections26. the inner surface 2(5', of which is of the same width as each flatportion or surface 23 of the drums. and as each section 26, is hingedlyconnected to the adjoining one by means of the hinge 27, the runnerswill closely adhere to the contour of the drums and be moved in theproper direction by the movement of the drums. Upon the outer surface ofthe movable runners and to the sections thereof, I secure the ribs orgripping rods 28, which extend preferably the full width of the runner,and are tri-angular in cross-section. By this means it will be seen thatthe width of the two movable runners, prevent the rear portion of theautoslcigh from sinking into the snow, acting as a snow shoe, and as thefront axle is revolved, the movable runners are operated so that theirgripping rods will rip the snow and thus propel the autosleig 1, andmovable runners imparting a rotary motion 0 the rear axle, acting as abelting.

Upon theforward axle, I mount a gear 29, which is operably geared to thegear 30, carried upon the shaft 31, which extends forwardly and isconnected to the motive power in any suitable clutch (not shown).

From the foregoin description taken in connection with the drawings, itis evident that I provide a practical antosleigh, asI provide a platformcarryin the motive power and o erators seat and rear body, a

mounted upon stationary runners, and a propelling truck having itsmovable propelling runners operably connected with the motive power, andbeing so climstructed as at the same time they propel the a autosleigh,

sinking into 1m air the at I 0 arm,

1. In an autosleigh, the combination, of a:

platform, a steering runner pivotally mpun motive a front axle journaledin the forward boxes of the truck frames, a r M axle ournaled 1n theremaining boxes, means for operably connecting the trout axle with themotive 1 power, two drums each having a central portion composed of aseries of different angled lanes and corners and with projecting rims(eyed to each axle. said drums being separated by a central space uponeach axle, two endless propelling belts paralleling each other andmounted upon their respective i drums of the front and rear axles, thefront axle conveying motion to the rear axle through the medium of thebelts, and each belt being made of a series of sections flexiblyconnected together to conform to the contour of the central portion ofthe drums and with exterior gripping ribs.

2. In an autosleigh, the combination of a l in presence of witnesses.

platform, a steering runner pivotally mounted below the front of saidplatform, motive power mounted upon the platform above the steeringrunner, a rack bar extending transversely of the runner, a steeringmechanism l operably connected therewith and accessible the platform, 7ournal boxes mounted in said truck frames, 1

in the rear of the motive power, springs carried below the rear portionof the platform, one upon each side, truck frames, one to each s )ring,connected with the spring to support t e p atform, journal boxes mountedin said truer frames, one in each end, a front axle journaled in theforward ones of each frame, a rear axle journaled in the rear ones ofeach frame, means for operably connectin the front axle with the motivepower, two rums each having a central portion composed of a series ofdifferent angled lanes and corners 1 and with projecting rims eyed toeach axle said drums being separated by a central space upon each axle,two endless ropellin belts paralleling each other an mounte upon theirrespective drums of the front and rear axles, the front axle conveyingmotion to the rear axle through the medium of the belts, and each beltbeing made of a series of sections flexibly connected together toconform to the contour of the central portion of the drums and withexterior gripping ribs.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature CHARLES WHITNEY DENNIS.

Witnesses:

Jos. WmmAMsoN, Eamzs'r L. Mclncax, JULIA Benny.

